Babar Azam bags shameful duck, gets ‘Babar-Azamed’ in BBL Qualifier as Sydney Sixers career ends

Cooper Connolly has provided a crucial breakthrough for the Perth Scorchers by removing Sydney Sixers opener Babar Azam for a duck in the ongoing Big Bash League 2025-26 Qualifier at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Tuesday, January 20.

Cooper Connolly strikes early as Babar Azam falls for a duck

Babar Azam was trusted for the BBL 2025-26 Qualifier despite his inconsistent performance, but he failed to live up to expectations. The former Pakistan captain could survive only one delivery before making a fool of himself on the second delivery of the Sydney Sixers’ chase in Perth.

Connolly delivered a full ball bowled outside the off stump. Babar stepped forward to play a drive, but the ball turned away after pitching. The right-handed batter missed the ball completely, and Perth Scorchers wicketkeeper Josh Inglis’ light-fastening job behind the wickets did the rest of the job.

Lightning-fast Josh Inglis stuns Babar Azam with sharp stumping in Perth

As soon as the ball passed the bat, Inglis collected it cleanly and knocked the bails off within seconds. At that moment, Babar’s front foot was still slightly in the air and had not gone back into the crease. It was very close, just by a tiny margin, but Inglis was quicker and was sure Babar was out.

The umpires checked through all angles, and Babar was given stumped out as the Pakistani star walked back to the pavilion after a two-ball duck in the BBL 2025-26 Qualifier against the Perth Scorchers at the Optus Stadium in Perth.